THE HISTORY AND FOUNDING OF THE QCRB
In the summer of 2000, the city of Cincinnati, Ohio held their first GLBT Pride parade. The crowd was small, only about 2000 people. After the parade, Paula Ison (of the Pride Committee) reflected on it and felt that something was missing, namely the music of a marching band.

For 2001 Paula researched various bands beginning with high school bands. Then she came across the website of Lesbian and Gay Bands of America (LGBA), and what a surprise that such a group existed! She contacted the bands that were geographically nearest and Chicago's Lakeside Pride Freedom Band agreed to travel to Cincinnati.

Meanwhile, Maryhelen Hibben (QCRB co-founder and president) had heard rumors that a marching band was expected to perform at the parade. She was a founding member of Boston’s GLBT Freedom Trail Band in 1985, and had performed with them and at various LGBA events until about 1994. Since moving to Cincinnati, she missed being in a gay marching band. She contacted the Cincinnati Pride committee, and then the Lakeside Pride Freedom Band. She traveled to Chicago for one rehearsal and then was the only local person to perform with them in the Cincinnati 2001 Pride Parade.

In 2001, the crowd had doubled to 4000 spectators, and the number of contingents also doubled. Lakeside Pride Freedom Band and Flag Corps brought about 45 people. The marching band livened up the parade with several tunes including “We are Family” and a dynamic performance by their flag corps. The band received enthusiastic response all along the parade route and when entering the “gay” neighborhood and festival park as the crowds cheered wildly when the band marched by.

After this inspirational reception, Paula and Maryhelen met and spent the fall of 2001 planning to form a GLBT marching band in Cincinnati. Initial publicity was sent out. Names were gathered. A band name was created: the Queen City Rainbow Band.

In December a conductor contacted the Cincinnati Pride Committee and stated that he would like to form a GLBT band for the next parade. He was put in contact with Maryhelen and Paula. David Shaffer is the director of Miami University's Marching Band (Oxford, Ohio) and a professional music arranger.

The first rehearsal was January 27, 2002 with five musicians and two flag twirlers. As of 2003, we have 35 musicians attend our rehearsals and have a flag corps of 7 people.

We were granted Band-in-formation status by Lesbian and Gay Bands of America on March 9, 2002

ABOUT OUR LOGO
Our logo & this web site were created and designed by band member Fred Martens, owner of the design firm Martens' Art.

The band logo may need some explanation to non-local folk. Cincinnati received the nickname "The Queen City of the West" from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his poem about Cincinati, "Catawba Wine," in 1854.

The central image is of the Tyler-Davidson Fountain, a prominent Cincinnati landmark in our downtown.

This 43-foot fountain is the oldest downtown sculpture and has become the best known and loved symbol of Cincinnati. Water streams from the out-stretched hands of the 9-foot tall female figure representing the "Genius of Water." Below her, four adult figures dramatize the life-sustaining uses of water, four children illustrate the life-enhancing pleasures of water, and four relief panels depict the industrial uses of water. Four drinking spouts on the lower tier of the fountain once had communal cups for pedestrians to use. Local businessman Henry Probasco selected the fountain design from von Kreling's Munich studio and had it cast and erected as a memorial to Davidson, his deceased brother-in-law and business partner.

Originally the fountain stood on an esplanade 30 feet south of its present location. In the late 1960's, as a part of the downtown redevelopment plan, the present plaza was created with the fountain as its centerpiece. In 1971, for its 100th anniversary, the fountain was repaired and re-dedicated